Method of making shoes



J. J. HEYS.

METHOD OF MAKING SH OES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26, I918.

Patented June 1, 1920.

UNITED STAT CORPORATION, or rnrnnson, NEW, JERSE' A CORPORATION or new JERSEY.

METHOD 0 T 0 all whom itmay concern: g

Be it known that 1,7J'0HN J. Hum, a citizen of thefUnited States, residing at Lynn, in the countyof Essex and State, of

Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Making Shoes,

of which the following description, in con-' nection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating likeparts in the 7 several figures.

The present invention relates to improved methods of manufacturing shoes and it is herein illustratedin connection with the manufacture of shoes of the type known as turn shoes. 7

The invention has for its object to provide an improvedmethod of making shoes and especially turn shoes, the practice of which will enable the sole of the shoe to be given any desired sole contour independ ently of the shape of the last upon which the shoe'upper is shaped and without disturbing the shape imparted to the upper or interfering with the usual steps performed in making the shoe. With this object in view the invention, in one of its aspects, consists in conforming a shoe upper to the shape of the last selected for the purpose, the shoe upper being stretched and conformed to'the contour-of the selected lasting last and caused to retain that shape by any of the usual or suitable pulling-over, lasting and shaping methods, including the first lasting and the sewing of the shoe while inside out and then turning the shoe right side out and relasting the shoe; and in then imparting the desired shape to the sole of .the shoe independently of the last upon which the shoe by changing his moldsibut without incur-V ring the expense of buying new lasts. For example, the last emp oyed may have, together with a contour giving a pleasing appearance to the shoe upper, a bottom face Specification of Letters Patent. I

of continuous dines. Int he sole shaping step of this method the bottom of the shoe maybe given a shape inwhich there is a the ball, orit may be given in the shank the shape known as a cottage shankfl- Any Patented June 1, 1920. Application fi led nu usteaflais. Serial No. 251,437,

JOHN J. HEYS, 0F LYNN, ivrnssnonusnrrs, nssidnon To unrrnnsnon' MACHINERY sharp break or well-defined line across shape may ibe obtained quite independently ofthelast. The bottom shaping operation is preferof the contour or shape of the bottomface ably practised with the aid of a metallic memberapplied within the shoe, the second last being withdrawn, and a metallic form which is made to engage the outside of the sole with heavy direct pressure effecting a molding of the entire shoe bottom simultaneously. It is important that the bottom vshaping operation be performed while the sole is thoroughly in temper, the right condition being usually found to exist directly after the second lasting and before the shoe has been allowed to set or dry. In an advantageous system the heelis also attached while the second last is withdrawn, after which a filler last is inserted over which the shoe is allowed to set duringa day operate with the forms in, imparting the desired shape to the sole in the shank and,

at the ,break in the ball, such filler pieces usually also serving the purpose of presenting an even surface for the wearers foot. The filler piece is applied before the forming, and usually before the second lasti g, and remains permanently in the'shoe, the solebeing molded over it.

: The invention will be better understood,

from the following description and the accompanying drawings which disclose one way inwhich this method has been successfully practised, and the inventioniwillbe definitely pointedout'in the claims;

, Figure 1 of the drawings .shows a turn and which'prevents distortion ofthe shoe shoeupon which has beenperformed, in the usual or in any well-known manner, the steps of shapingithe upper to a last having the contour'whichit is de'sired to reproduce in the upper of a completed shoe, sewing the upper to the sole, withdrawing the last, turning the shoe, second lasting the shoe,

inserting a filler piece extending from the heel seat forwardly through the shank and to the break at the ball, lasting the heel seat over said filler piece, and nailing the heel seat of the sole;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the shoe of Fig. 1, the last being withdrawn;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the last over which the shoe upper was shaped;

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the sole conforming members and a shoe to illustrate the relation of the members and the shoe prior to the application of pressure to the sole; r

Fig. 5 shows the operation of effecting by direct pressure applied substantially simultaneously over the entire shoe bottom, bymeans of inner and outer forming members, the shape or contour which is desired in'the bottom of the completed shoe, such shape or contour differing from the contour' of the bottom face of the last over which the upper was shaped;

Fig 6 is a perspective view showing the operative surfaces of the forms by which the shoe bottom was shaped;

Fig. 7 shows the shoe made in accordance with this invention by shaping the upper into conformity with faces of the lasting last and shaping the shoe bottom by direct pressure into conformity with forms having a contour materially differing from the contour of the bottom face ofsaid last. I

In the practice of this invention as it has been successfully carried out, a turn shoe is made by assembling a sole 2 and upper materials 4: on a last 5 having a contour which it is 'desiredto reproduce in the upper 41; of the completed shoe. The upper materials 4 are assembled wrong side out upon the last 5, and they are pulled over and lasted in the usual manner and .sewed to thesole 2. The sewing may be extended entirely around the shoe to produce the sewed seat type of shoe. In the drawings,.is shown ashoe of the nailed seat type in which the sewing is terminated at the heelseat'and after the shoe is turned right side out and second lasted and the heel seat piece 10 inserted in the shoe. the heel seat portion of the upper l is lasted over the heel seat piece and fastened. by tacks, the heel end portion of the sole being thereafter laid down over the lasted heel seat and nailed in place by nails 11. Thesestepsare well known in the art and it is therefore unneccssaryto describe them ingreater detail.

After the completion of the work associated with second lasting the shoe which includes lasting the heel seat and nailing the sole, if it is a nailed seat shoe as shown, the last 5 is withdrawn while the shoe sole is still in good temper. This it has been found, may be done immediately after the above-described operations are completed ,side or foot-engaging surface of the shoe bottom. This member may be advantageously adapted for mounting upon the pressure spindle of a direct pressure sole leveling machine such, for example, as that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,280,875, granted October 8, 1918, on application of Thomas H. Seely, and owned by the assignee of the present invention. The outer or tread face of the shoe bottom is then engaged by a shaping member or form 15 having an operative face 16- corresponding with the contour or shape which it is desired to produce in 'thebottom of the finished shoe. This shaping member 15 may conveniently be a surface form adapted toform an operative element of said sole leveling machine as illustrated in Fig. The operative or sole shaping faces 13, 16 of the members 12 and 15 respectively may be'materially different and need have no particular relation to the contour of the bottom face of the last over which the upper shaping operations are performed. It will be understood that the bottom shaping operation as performed in accordance with this invention is not dependent upon the shape of the bottom face of the last 5, for example, upon which the shoe upper was shaped and the contour or shape produced in thetread face of the shoe bottom may differ very radically from they contour of the bottom of this last. In fact by varying the shaping members 12 and 15, various styles of shoes may be produced on the same first last in the sense that the shoe bottoms to produce the prominent. peak line 23 ex-' tending longitudinally of the shank. This is one popular style of shoe bottomp Obviously the surfaces of the bottom shaping members 12, 15 may be modified to produce a break extending in a single line across the shoe bottom, or in a curvedline, and to produce a rounded instead of a peaked shank.

From the foregoing it will be readily undersi nificant as com Jared with the ex ense of replacing one set of lasts by a last equipment having a different bottom contour."

The shoe having been mounted upon the shaping member 12 is presented'to the shaping member 15 and pressure applied in a direction. substantially perpendicular to the shoe bottom over the entire surface of the shoebottom simiilltaneously. T he sole shaping operation performed while the sole is in temper, which 1S di ".tly after-the second lasting, and 'rcspkmds action of themembe'rs 12 and 15. The presaiiily to thesha'ping sure is of such'extent' and is maintained such time 215,18IIGCQSSZIl'X'tO render permanent the shapebcing imparted to the shoe bottom. Thereafterthe members '12, 15 are separated and thejshoe removed.

The last 5, or ay bea fillerlast which will more easily slip into the shoe,*is inserted after the bottom shaping operation,

and the shoe is preferably then allowed to stand on the last for the shoe materials to setor assume the permanence of'shape that has been imparted tothem. Usually turn I shoesa re allowed to set on thelast for at least o1'1eday,after which the edge trimnnng andother finlshlng operations are performed while the last is retained inthe shoe to prevent misshaping of the upper occurring from handling ofrthe shoe. The heel bottom shaping operation is effected by a direct pressure mold, such as the mold 15, while the last is in the shoe. In that case the last takes the place of the shaping member 12. I prefer, however, to employ the shaping member 12 because it can be made stronger than is a last, thereby permitting the application of more effective molding pressure.

Another important advantage for employing the forming members 15, 12 for shaping the shoe bottom. is that these members can be so shaped and so operated as to produce a uniform molding pressure, whereas lasts differ from one another slightly more or less and also change shape and volume with changes in atmospheric conditions, thus rendering uniformity of product difficult, if not impossible, to obtain. Also a greater range of variation in bottom contour is obtainable in the finished shoe if 'the'last is not depended upon as one of the bottom shaping members. i

Preferably the acting surfaces of the iron last and form 12 and 15, respectively, may be such as to effect a more pronounced longitudinal and transverse curvature than exists in the sole'face of the lasting last over which the shoe upper was shaped or than is finally desired in order to compensate, after the shaping operation has been performed on the sole, for the reaction and drawing out of the sole after pressure of the form. is

released.

Having explained the nature of this invention and described how itmay be employed, I claim'as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1'. That improvement in methods of making turn shoes which consists in conforming the upper to the shape of a last which has thecontour that it is desired to reproduce in the upper of the shoe, said operations including sewing the upper to'the sole lnside out, turning the shoe, and relasting the shoe,

and thereafter withdrawing the second last 'and'shapingftheshoe bottom by directpressure applied over substantially the-entire shoe bottom simultaneously...

ing turnshoes whichconsists in conforming the upper to the shape of a last which has the contour that it is desired to'reproduce in "the upper of theshoe, said operations includ- 'ing lasting and sewing theshoe upper tothe sole while the shoe upper is inside out, turning the shoe and relasting the shoe and thereafter placing the sole of the shoe between the inner and outer molding members 12; That improvement in methods of mak-f and applying a direct pressure to all parts of the shoe bottom substantially simultaneously to impart the desired shape to the bottomiof the shoe.

.3. That improvement in methods of. making turn shoes which consists in shaping the upper .over' a last having upper shaping faces which it is desired to reproduce in the upper of a finished shoe and having a sole face differing from the shape which it'is desired to reproduce in the completed shoe;

withdrawing the last from the upper after the upper shaping operations have been effected; introducing into the shoe a soleshaped form presenting a sole face differing in contour from the sole face of the last; and shaping the shoe bottom between said member and a cooperating mold or form having a sole engaging face representing the contour desired to be reproduced on the bottom face of the shoe.

4. That improvement in methods of making turn shoes which consists in shaping the upper over' a last 'having cupper shaping faces whichit is desired to reproduce in the upper of a finished shoe and having a sole face differing from the shape which it is desired to produce on the outside of the finished shoe; withdrawing the last; incorporating in the shoe a filler piece and then ef-V fecting, by direct'pressure applied over substantially the entire shoe bottom simultaneously, a forming of the shoe bottom into a face of the last. 7 V e a 5. That improvement in methods of making turn shoes which consists in first lasting an upper over a last having a contour which shape differing substantially from the soleit is desired to reproduce in the upper ofa finished'shoe, sewing the upper to the sole,

7 withdrawing the last, turning the shoe, secv in the finished shoe, heeling the shoe, in-

serting a last or filler, maintaining the shoe on said last or filler while the upper sets, edge trimming and otherwise finishing the shoe and thereafter withdrawing the last.

6. That improvement in methods of mak ing turn shoes which consists in first lasting an upper over a last having a contour which itis desired to reproduce in the upper of a finished shoe, sewing the upper to the sole, withdrawing the last, turning the shoe, second lasting the shoe, withdrawing the last before the sole dries, leveling the entire sole by direct pressureto produce the-shoe bottom contour desired in the finished shoe, inserting a last or filler, maintaining the shoe on said last or filler while the upper sets, completing the shoe, and then withdrawing the last. i v

7. That improvementin methods of making turn shoes which consists in conforming the upper to the shape of a last which has the contour that it is desired to reproduce in the upper of the shoe, said operations including sewing the upper to the'sole inside out, turning the shoe, and relasting the shoe; and thereafter withdrawing the second last and overmolding the shoe bottom by direct pressure applied over substantially the entire shoe bottom simultaneously and effecting more pronounced longitudinal and transverse curvatures in the sole thanexist in the sole face of the last over which the shoe upper was shaped.

8. That improvement in methods of makand thereafter imparting the desired shape to the bottom of the shoe independentlyof' the lasting last by subjecting the sole of the shoe to a direct pressure applied to all parts of the shoe bottom substantially simultaneously between inner and outer metal forms.

9. That improvement in methods of making turn shoes which comprises making the shoe wrongv side out on a last, turning the shoe right side out, second lasting the shoe, including the application of the filler to the inner side of the sole and, while the sole of the shoe is in temper, placing the'sole upon a metal last and then subjecting the outer surface of the sole to a direct pressure by a form cooperating with the said metal last and filler and having a sole faced surface contour of the desired conformation.

In testimony whereof I have signed'my name to this specification.

JOHN J. HEYS. 

